The present invention relates generally to orthodontic mechanical devices that aid in the treatment of vertical dental overbite, and in particular to orthodontic devices that aid in constraining patients to modify their diets while overbite appliances are in place.
Certain obstacles generally arise during the treatment of patients having vertical dental overbite. One of these problems is a lack of voluntary modification of diet by the patient while the orthodontic device meant to correct the overbite is being worn by the patient. In particular, it may be said that certain teenagers are less responsive to outside suggestion or discipline than others. The reasons for this is not an area for discussion here, but many of those in the dental field, in particular in the field of orthodontics, would probably agree that many young patients are motivated not to comply with the dentist's instructions and often refuse to cooperate voluntarily. This brings up the necessity of resorting to "non-voluntary" devices that cannot be removed by the patient, or at least cannot be removed and then replaced without detection by the treating dentist.
One particular need then in the field of orthodontists is to provide a non-voluntary device that can be selectively used for certain non-cooperative type young patient's teeth but also cannot be easily removed by the patient. For any such device certain criteria must be met. Some of these criteria are as follows:
1. Lack of interference with tooth movement of a primary multiband appliance so as to avoid the need for consecutive stages of treatment as opposed to more rapid and direct simultaneous mechanical actions.
2. Machine mass production to reduce costs of fabricating individualized appliance in the laboratory. That is, impressions would not be necessary.
3. Total elimination of horizontal obstruction to mandibular repositioning.
4. Barrier to mastication of non-recommended diet components.
5. Maximized freedom of eruption of posterior teeth to assist in leveling.
6. Complete lack of patient control of appliance.
7. Absolute indication of patient interference.
8. Rapid effect to allow shortest period of use.
9. Minimal obstruction to oral hygiene.
10. Ability to be readily modified as tooth movement occurs.
11. Lack of gingiual contact.
It is to be noted that the device needed is not generally to be used alone but is generally to be applied in conjunction with other orthodontic devices already in place on the teeth that act to correct the problem of dental overbite and in particular aim at correcting the posture of the mandible.
The present invention contemplates a novel, non-voluntary orthodontic appliance that meets the need described above and in addition meets the criteria listed.
Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide an inter-incisal orthodontic plate that opens the posterior occlusion and prevents the contact of the upper anterior teeth with the lower anterior teeth.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an orthodontic inter-incisal plate having an anterior bite plate that is in contact with the incisal edges of the upper anterior teeth.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that has a pair of support wires extending from either side of the plate to upper first molar lingual sheaths connected to the dental brackets without interfering with the bicuspid or cuspid teeth.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that is connected to first molar lingual sheaths by means of a pair of anchoring wires connected to the plate, the wires having step-down bends and being disposed along the dental arch so as to avoid contact with the cuspid and bicuspid teeth.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inter-incisal plate having a pair of support wires for mounting to the lingual sheaths of the upper first molars that have excess wire for length and width adjustment.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an inter-incisal plate having wire for connecting the plate to the first molars that has a folded back portion of wire forming a double strand that is adapted to be fit in first molar sheaths and that the double strand portion extends 3 to 4 millimeters in a posterior direction beyond the distal end of the first molars and bends inwardly to form a stop against the support wires from sliding anteriorly in the sheath.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an inter-incisal plate anchored by support wires to lingual sheaths of the first molars, the support wires forming a pair of double strand portions that have a single strand end positioned in proximity to the sheaths anteriorly of the sheaths, the single strand on each being bent upwards to provide a stud stop against posterior movement of the wires in the sheaths.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that is positioned in contact with the upper anterior teeth and is in part anchored by a ligature through an aperture in the plate to the brace wire.
It is yet a further object of my invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that separates the upper and lower anterior teeth and in so doing, separates the upper and lower posterior teeth so as to prevent the patient from masticating certain foods.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that prevents mastication of certain foods and in addition cannot be easily removed by the patient.
It is yet another object of my invention to provide a non-removable inter-incisal plate that does not interfere with the tooth movement directed by primary multi-band appliances.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that is inexpensive to produce and that can be fitted to a patient's upper anterior teeth without the necessity of fabricating an individual appliance in the office or laboratory, that is, without having to make an impression.
It is another object of my invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that totally eliminates horizontal obstruction to mandibular repositioning.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that maximizes feedom of eruption of posterior teeth to assist in leveling.
It is still another object of my invention to provide an inter-incisal plate that is wired to the patient's posterior upper teeth in such a manner that once removed by the patient is difficult to remount by the patient.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a non-voluntary inter-incisal plate that creates a minimal obstruction to oral hygiene.
It is another object of my invention to provide a non-voluntary inter-incisal plate that can be readily modified by the orthodontist as tooth movement occurs.
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a non-voluntary inter-incisal plate that is free of gingival contact.
The present invention fulfills the above objects and overcomes limitations and disadvantages of prior art solutions to problems by providing a novel device that is positioned against the upper anterior teeth that comprises a plate mounted against selected upper anterior teeth that comprises a plate mounted against selected upper anterior teeth adapted to prevent contact between the upper anterior teeth and the opposed lower anterior teeth and a wire that is connected to the plate and to selected upper posterior teeth so that the plate is anchored to the selected upper posterior teeth. The plate thus prevents occlusion between the upper and lower posterior teeth. The selected upper anterior teeth are preferably lateral and central incisors. The preferred selected upper posterior teeth are the first molars. The plate preferably is a substantially flat plate having opposed, substantially parallel top and bottom walls intersected by a vertical rear wall and a C-shaped front wall configured in accordance with the upper anterior incisors. The rear wall extends substantially at right angles to the mesial, or midline, of the mouth. The wire includes a pair of strands each having one end connected to the rear wall of the plate and the other end being folded back into a double strand portion. The double strand portion includes a folded distal end and a strand end positioned between the folded distal end and the plate. Jackets are mounted around the upper first molars and sheaths are connected to the lingual side, or inner, walls of the jackets. Each double strand portion is slidably mounted to the sheaths. The sheaths are disposed between the folded distal ends and the strand ends. The folded distal ends are bent inwardly and the strand ends are bent upwardly, so that the distal ends and the strand ends form stops adapted to prevent the double strand portions from sliding in the sheaths. The plate is additionally anchored in position by means of a ligature tied through on aperture in the plate that is positioned over the center line of the upper central incisors. The ligature is passed over the brace wire on the upper teeth and tied. The plate is preferably of thermoplastic material.
An alternate embodiment includes a pair of support wires of heavy metal that is imbedded into a pair of posts disposed on the top wall of the plate. The wires extend to the sheaths of the first molars where they are connected. Each wire includes an anterior stop bend and a posterior bend that prevent the wires from sliding in the sheaths.